This document discusses the benefits of taking occasional breaks from dieting for weight loss. It argues that being too restrictive can slow metabolism and undermine willpower. Allowing yourself treats occasionally prevents cravings and "forbidden" foods from derailing your diet. The document provides tips for incorporating flexibility, such as focusing on long-term healthy eating, identifying challenges, budgeting calories, keeping a food journal, finding hobbies, increasing exercise, and savoring treats. It concludes by encouraging the reader to enjoy a favorite food in moderation and plan for occasional cheat meals.

1. Module 1 – Lesson 4
Lose Weight by Taking a Break From Your Diet

2. Introduction
• The title of this lesson sounds awesome
right?! That’s because it is.
• The last lesson showed you some wise
strategies that you can use at the grocery
store to help you lose weight. However,
when you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll find
that the most effective diets strike a healthy
balance between discipline and flexibility.
• It’s okay to take a break from your diet
sometimes. These are some of the benefits
of giving yourself a little time off and smart
ways to indulge while you watch your
weight.

3. Benefits of Being Flexible About Your Diet
• Boost your metabolism. A diet that is excessively low in calories actually slows down your
metabolism so you eventually need to eat less just to maintain the same weight. Providing your
body with the fuel it needs will keep you in prime condition.
• Strengthen your willpower. Restricting yourself to a grapefruit for breakfast every day is bound
to make you crave French toast with extra maple syrup. Reward yourself once in a while so
you’ll be less vulnerable to temptation.
• Demystify forbidden foods. As long as you get most of your calories from fresh fruits, vegetables,
and whole grains, you can probably make room on your plate for a sensible serving of whatever
you crave most. Split a brownie with a friend or eat a small bag of chips.
• Keep weight off. Break the cycle of losing weight
and gaining it back. The easier your diet is to
live with, the better your chances of sticking
with it.
• Be gentle with yourself. Approach weight loss as
a positive change you want to make to improve
your wellbeing and enrich the time you spend with
your loved ones. A constructive mindset will help
you select foods that are good for you and bounce
back from any lapses.

4. Smart Ways to be Flexible
• Take a long term perspective. Focus on eating healthy over the course of your life rather than
cutting back each year just before swimsuit season. Eating balanced meals and snacks most days
will keep you trim.
• Identify your greatest challenges. Analyze where your diet gets put to the test. Maybe you
celebrate the holidays with multi-course feasts or spend evenings snacking while watching TV.
Slimming down a few favorite recipes or sipping tea may give you as much pleasure.
• Bank your calories. Save up for a night out at your
favorite Italian restaurant. Serve grilled fish for dinner
the night before so you’ll feel carefree about ordering
the lasagna and a gelato for dessert.
• Keep a journal. It’s easy to lose track of how much we
really eat. Making a notation of everything you eat can
help you put on the brakes before a small handful of jelly
beans turns into half a bag.

5. How FightingFit Have Helped so many others
• Get a hobby. For most of you, The FightingFit Workouts are probably your way of being
to eat more freely from those diet shackles! Boredom leads to overeating. Save your
extra calories for the foods you really love. If you’re just looking for something to do,
take up photography or knit a scarf. Try volunteer work or taking an adult education class.
• Burn extra calories. Learning a new art as a way of burning these extra calories literally
make the whole process fun and enjoyable. Of course, exercise is the other side of the
weight loss equation. If you eat an extra helping of dessert, add another 10 minutes to
your daily workout. Engage in regular strength training like lifting weights so you’ll build
up muscle mass that burns more calories even when you’re at rest.
• Make the most of your treats. Savor your food. Make those exceptions to your usual diet
truly special. Dish out your ice cream in a pretty glass bowl with a garnish of berries. Bake
your own pita chips and sprinkle them with fresh herbs.

6. Action Point:
• Take a break from your diet! Give yourself permission to eat one of
your favorite food temptations today! Avoid going overboard. Eat a
small serving today and plan for incorporating this food into your diet
every once in a while.
• Plan a Cheat Meal for once a week, work towards achieving your goal
throughout the rest of the week and that cheat meal is going to feel a
little something like this:

7. • You can reach your ideal weight without giving up cheesecake
forever. Allowing yourself a little wiggle room is the key to
developing a healthy eating plan that you can stick with for life.
• Another important, but little known, weight loss strategy has to do
with your meal times. Discover what’s so important about meal times
by tuning in to the next lesson!